EXCLUSIVE: BET+ has renewed its Emmy-nominated series The Ms. Pat Show for a fourth season.
From Patricia “Ms. Pat” Williams and Jordan E. Cooper, the series lifts from Williams’ life experiences covered in her memoir Rabbit: The Autobiography of Ms. Pat, which tells the story of a drug dealer and convicted felon turned suburban mom.
“It’s going to be another great and funny season and we’re so excited,” Williams tells Deadline exclusively. “I don’t want to give anything away but as you know, we’re always challenging ourselves. What I will say is that Season 4 will be better than prior seasons.”
When asked how she keeps storylines fresh and doesn’t run out of new content she said with a laugh, “There’s something happening in my house every day.”
Williams confirmed work on Season 4 was set to begin the week the WGA called for a strike as the AMPTP declined to negotiate terms. The comedian said The Ms. Show team is “just waiting” now [for a fair deal]. “We’re ready to get back to work,” she said.
Cooper supported the WGA Black writers picket line at Paramount Studios on May 10.
Deadline announced Williams signed an overall deal with BET in July under which she will produce, write and perform in new series and other projects—both scripted and unscripted— across BET linear and streaming. Under that deal, Williams has two new shows that are in development: the animated series Krack Babies and the workplace comedy Hud.
Krack Babies—referencing children that fall through the cracks of the system—is set in 1980s inner-city Atlanta and based on Williams’ childhood stories.
As per the logline, Atlanta is a crazy place for kids to grow up, the streets around Corn Ridge apartment in Little Five Points are full of dealers and liquor houses. When you’re not at school you’re hustling, doing things like selling clothes you steal from the Goodwill. Growing up there was hard, but you figure out how to make it through.
The kids attend classes at Jim Crow Elementary, try to hustle for a better life, and keep each other out of, while somehow still talking each other into, trouble. The system might fail you, but if the people stuck in the system all support each other, there’s a chance you can make it out together.
Krack Babies is described as “Hey Arnold! for adults but that’s not afraid to get real AF.” The series is executive produced by Williams, Starburns Industries and Reg Tigerman.
“When I use the words Krack Babies, I’m talking about growing up in a system where kids fall through the cracks; it’s not about [the drug] crack in America and Black communities,” she explained. “I’m one of those kids that fell through the cracks but somebody wanted me and I came back up. It’s about me and so many kids growing up in the inner city in animation form. It’s gonna be great, watch what I tell you.”
Williams’ second project is a half-hour workplace comedy HUD, which stands for House and Urban Development. HUD follows a team of public servants as they navigate the trials and tribulations of working in the government sector of Housing and Urban Development.
“This project came along because when I grew up, my family had Section 8. One day I was thinking, we’ve been inside hospitals and police departments but nobody has ever shown what it’s like HUD. I wanted to show all the work they do to help people get out of the program and better themselves,” she shared.
Williams executive produces alongside Patrick Walsh and Aaron Kaplan; Vincent Bryant serves as supervising producer.
In the meantime, Williams is gearing up to headline a theater tour across the United States kicking off on June 16 at Levity Live in West Nyack, New York. Stops include Miami, Omaha, Louisville, Los Angeles, Raleigh, San Antonio, and of course, her home base, Atlanta, among others.
Williams is repped by APA, Tigerman Management and Cohen Gardner.
